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Why You Must Be Born Again (John 3:1–21)
In this lecture, Don Carson examines John 3:1–21 to discuss the complexity of the gospel, emphasizing its transformative nature. Carson critiques the view that the gospel is merely a gateway to discipleship and highlights the importance of being born again. Carson explains that new birth involves supernatural transformation, grounded in God’s love and action.
He teaches the following:
The gospel: good news about what God has done in Christ’s cross and resurrection
The historical context of the Reformation and the Great Awakening
Nicodemus’s significance as a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish council
The new birth as a miraculous, supernatural transformation, not just a change of mind
Why Jesus could speak authoritatively about the new birth
How Jesus’s crucifixion parallels the bronze snake in Numbers 21
Why Jesus’s unique revelatory claim is central to understanding the gospel